10-year-old Brooke Davis ran in circles around her 4-year-old cousin, Zoe.
"Zoe, Zoe, Zoe," Brooke sang before sitting down across from the young girl with straight blonde pigtails, "I love it when your family comes to town, Zoe. You're so much fun."
Zoe giggled at her older cousin and reached her hands up, signifying that she wanted to be carried. Brooke obeyed and picked the little girl up only to yelp in pain and drop Zoe back on the ground. Zoe broke out in a fit of tears as her parents and Brooke's parents came outside to see what all the fuss was about.
Zoe's mother, Myrna, picked up the sobbing girl and cradled her until the tears subsided and then turned on Brooke, "What happened? Why did you drop her? You know have you take better care of her!"
Brooke, who had tears of her own, replied shrilly, "She bit me!"
Myrna glared at Brooke, "My little angel would do no such thing," she turned to Victoria, "I think we'd better be going now. See you in two months at Miranda's wedding."
Victoria nodded at her cousin then turned back to her daughter and shook her head disapprovingly before heading back inside the house.
Brooke ran crying to her bathroom, turning on the water and rinsing the blood off of her hand. When the blood had washed away, she sat on the toilet and examined the deep, skin-splitting teeth marks on the top of her hand.
Brooke barely heard the knock on her door between Angie's cries. She sat the baby on her hip as she opened the door, revealing a medium height muscular blonde with a duffel bag over one shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" Brooke asked, instantly on guard.
The girl answered, "Well, I got kicked out of boarding school…"
Brooke was suddenly irritated, "But what are you doing here, Zoe?"
Tears began to prick Zoe's eyes, "I can't go home. Brooke…please. I have nowhere else to go. My parents don't want me there."
Brooke shifted her weight and readjusted Angie, "Well, I don't want you here."
Zoe's body was beginning to be racked by full on sobs, "Brooke! I need your help!" she yelled and then said much more softly, "Please. You know I'm sorry."
Brooke shook her head adamantly, "I can't help you," and she shut the door.
Zoe turned around and faced the street, wiping the tears off her face and running her hands through her hair. She sighed and started walking to wherever her feet would take her, not having anywhere or anyone else to turn to.